A new way to charge
A U.S. highway designed for electric trucks is being developed in Indiana.
The roadway features a patent-pending system designed by Purdue University that could help lower the cost of building electrified highways for all-electric vehicles.
“With this breakthrough system, Purdue has shown that powering large commercial vehicles wirelessly is not just technically feasible but could be a practical and scalable solution for real-world highway transportation,” said Nadia Gkritza, a Purdue professor of civil and construction engineering and agricultural and biological engineering.
The stretch of U.S. Highway 52/U.S. Highway 231 was built by the Indiana Department of Transportation and provides wireless charging of electric heavy-duty trucks at highway speeds.
A Cummins electric truck was used to demonstrate the wireless charging highway.
“The on-road testing went exceptionally well, thanks to strong collaboration between our teams,” said John Kresse, chief technology engineer at Cummins. “With its high power and promising cost structure, this technology represents a practical, and potentially game-changing, solution for the future of on-highway commercial transportation.”
Purdue and INDOT entered into a multistage research project in 2018, funded through the university’s joint transportation research program and ASPIRE.
“INDOT is proud to partner with Purdue on this project,” Indiana Department of Transportation Commissioner Lyndsay Quist said. “While there is still more to explore, we are seeing what the future could hold for heavy-duty EV charging and transportation.”
For the 1st time in the U.S., a roadway has wirelessly charged an electric heavy-duty truck driving at highway speeds. The patent-pending system, designed by @PurdueEngineers and installed by @INDOT, is a big step forward in accessible EV charging. https://t.co/M13iN6Idv6
— Purdue University (@LifeAtPurdue) December 3, 2025
How it works
Purdue researchers compared the electric vehicle highway to the same process that charges a smartphone.
Transmitter coils installed in dedicated lanes send power to receiver coils attached to the truck’s underside. The Purdue design simplifies the overall system, accommodating more types of electric vehicles.
Other countries and states have tested similar charging highways. A key difference in the Purdue-designed wireless charging system is the power levels used, Purdue researchers said.
The system in Indiana delivered 190 kilowatts to the Cummins truck traveling at 65 mph, which also supports the lower power needs of other vehicle classes. There are also potential benefits in terms of batteries and availability.
However, the coils used in the Purdue project work within concrete pavement, which typically carries the heaviest traffic, but only makes up 20% of the interstate system.
Purdue researchers said developing industry standards is key to investing in the infrastructure needed for electric vehicles.
The school plans to demonstrate designs for other vehicle classes in the future. LL